Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Cannon
Hi Sharon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up as an only child on a farm outside of a small town in South Dakota. There was not an opportunity for art classes and other creative endeavors. I did not have a family that valued creativity, and I did not have a role model to show me other sides of life. Learning to be self-sufficient was drilled into me. Do not count on anyone but yourself.
When I graduated high school, I struck out on my own to go to college in South Dakota, Iowa, and eventually finishing in Arizona. While working in Lake Tahoe, I met a guy from Arizona, and he wanted to finish where he had started. We got married and set off for Arizona to go back to college. Toward the end of my time there, I sat for the CPA exam and passed. I could not suffer through the Arizona heat and dryness or my marriage any longer. Single again, I decided to move to San Francisco and work in a CPA office to earn my CPA certificate. I had a good ten years there and even became a partner, but ten years was enough.
Next, I migrated to southern California. Beverly Hills and Los Angeles to be exact. I finally found my way to a small furniture company that I called my work home for 28 years. Here I was lucky to work in an industry that had beauty all around and was able to be a part of a creative team. And I found my forever partner!
After 28 years, it was time to retire. Now what do I do!! I felt too good to just sit on the couch and I knew that would be a certain slow death.
I had been taking painting classes on the weekends for a few years. The act of painting made me feel good. I worked in my head all my life. It felt good to lose myself in my painting. I realized that it was important for me to feel free after a lifetime of feeling constrained. For me, reaching freedom in painting meant focusing on abstract painting.
In 2023, I decided to be serious about painting. However, I was not interested in going back to college to earn an art degree; I did add another weekly art class and added some online courses. I also took a trip to England to attend art classes at two different schools in England. I converted my home office to my home studio. I am working on the mindset of “being an artist.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have always been a loner. Most of the time I found the trait to be helpful. I am never lonely, never afraid. What is not helpful about the trait is that it is hard for me to reach out… to be social and engaging. In today’s world, this is a disadvantage. To be an artist you need to promote yourself. Instagram and Facebook scare me! I did not grow up with it nor did I use them in my work.
I worked hard this year to find artistic social networks that can help me with this piece of the business. I am happy that I found Shoebox Arts, which offers a sense of community and weekly Zoom meetings with other artists. Plus, they have many opportunities for other activities. It really helps to have the support of others in your field to help keep you grounded.
My biggest accomplishment this year so far was to secure a solo show at the end of January 2025 for about three weeks. My solo show was at TAG gallery at 5458 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. I had a nice opening reception and sold some pieces. I also submitted my work for a number of opportunities, and I had one piece accepted to the LA Open show in January 2025. I was accepted to a wonderful online exhibit, 12th Annual Abstract Sanctuary,” from Verum Ultimum Art Gallery in Portland Oregon, and that has been great exposure for about 4 weeks. I decided to donate some art this year. I donated a piece to the TAG & Red Cross auction for the fire victims and I donated another piece to Blue Line Art Gallery that provides art opportunities to young underprivileged children. I even applied for the LA Billboard Show. Unfortunately, I was not accepted…there is always next year!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The bulk of my paintings are oil on canvas. I experiment with other mediums, but I always seem to revert to oil on canvas.
I paint in what I call “Painting in the Moment.” My paintings celebrate spontaneity and intuition. I do not predetermine my work. I let the canvas and the colors be my guide, allowing the artwork to take its own form and reach its unique conclusion.
Beginning with color, found intuitively, I embark upon a dialog with the painted surface through a vocabulary of mark making – pushing and pulling the surface, painting out, painting in, until the surface can “speak” for itself. Harmonizing the color in its own right, lifting and dropping tones until the point at which the painting just “clicks” into place. For me, the act of naming the painting is as important as the act of creating. Once complete, each painting suggests its subject to me – canyons of color, purple rivers, irises – whatever it is, the painting knows who it is.
Recently, I have been collaborating with a well-known Los Angeles photographer, Don Saban. Don has been taking incredible ionic images of Los Angeles for over thirty years. Recently, he has been digitally combining one of his photos and my digital image of my painting into a new digital image. Both of our images take on new meaning. We call the process Symbiosis. Don and I are now taking this project to the next level. Don prints one of his images on canvas and then I apply my oil paint in an abstract manner. Then we photograph this new piece, and Don brings that image into his computer and merges it with yet another iconic photo from his archives. The end result is quite spectacular and very abstract. Our followers have given us rave reviews.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Buying some art would be lovely. I have pieces for sale at the TAG Gallery website. Link below:
https://www.taggallery.net/artists#/sharon-cannon/
Also, if someone has an art opportunity that I could participate in, I would love the opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sharoncannonstudio.com
- Instagram: sharoncannonstudio
- Facebook: sharoncannonstudio
Image Credits
My headshot – Don Saban Photographer
My artwork 5 images Robert Barry Photographer
Symbiosis 3 images Don Saban Photographer
